Knitting machine



Mafch 5, 194s.`

T. S. HAYHURST KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1944 I l. l

7 Sheets-Sheet 1 x "IIL El INVENTOR Thomas 1S Hayl'zursf ATTORNEY March5, 1946.

KNITTING MACHINE '7 sheets-sheet s Filed April 13, 1944 INVENTOR' omasS.

.Ha hui-s @mimi March 5, 1946. T. s.'l-l/AYI-uJFzsA'r` l KNITTINGMACHINE Filed April 13, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR v T/mas S.Hay/zum?? T. s. HAYHuRs-r KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 15. 1944 March 521946.

7 Sheets-Sheet 6 l Patented Mar. 5, 1946 'PATENT oFFic/E- Km'r'rmoMACHINE Thomas S. Hayhurst, Belle Harbor, N. Y., assigner I l to MaxNydegger, Summit, N. J.

Application Aprl'l, 1944, Serial No. 530,762 l,

1i claims.

The present invention relates to an improvev ment in knitting machines.Objects of said invention have been among others to provide improvedstitch length change mechanism adapted for knitting machines moreparticularly of the links-links orknit-purl type; to provide effectivemeans for making stitch length changes simultaneously on a plurality ofindividually 'operated knitting sections of4 a multiple machine; and toprovide means which permit exact duplicationv of any given set of stitchlengths in making other units of product and/or at other operatingtimes.

One embodiment of my invention in a form adapted for use in an automaticmultiple links knitting machine and as described in the followingspecication is illustrated in the appended drawings in which:

Figurell is a front elevation of a knitting ma-y chine embodying theimproved stitch length change mechanism;

Figure 2, a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section ofparts at the right-hand end of the machine as viewed in Figure 1; l

Figure 3, an enlarged transverse vertical section on the line 3 3 ofFigure 2;

Figure 4, an enlarged fragmentary view o n the line 4-4 of Figure 2showing the control links l associated with the automatic stitch lengthcon-1 trol mechanism;

Figure 5, an enlarged end elevation' of part of the left end of themachine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 6, an enlarged plan view of parts of the l left end portion ofthe machine shown in Figure 1 with some parts removed and som brokenaway;

Figure 7, an enlarged front elevation, with parts in longitudinalvertical section and other parts broken away, showing more clearlyjacquard shaft actuating devices at the left .end of the machine shownin Figure 1, jack positioning devices and stitch length setting devices;

Figure 8, atransverse vertical section on the line 8-8 of Figure '1: and

Figure 9, a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 8.

In the arrangement, as shown in the drawings, the stitch cams, as 34 and35 are mounted to reciprocate endwise in front and rear stitch camAguides or housings 3B and 31 respectively, Figures 2-and 6; and foreiecting stitch length change, said housings are controllably movableeither singly or together towardv and away from the knitting off oropposed edge portions of their respective needle beds. `Devices foreffecting this 5 number of different stitch lengths.

(01.66471) l ate with control means whereby movement -of said housingsor either of them may take place I from any one to any other of aplurality of diff ferent positions representing a corresponding Meansare also provided which permit adjustment to produce stitches of manydifferent lengths in either bed within practicable maximum limits.

The stitch cams, as 34 and 35, Figure 2, are operatively connected torods 40 which are actu yatedby a reciprocating arm 43 mounted to slidelongitudinally ofthe machine on a xed support and guide bar 4B. 'Arm 43is reciprocated by a chain 53 connected to opposite portions of one 15end of said arm and driven from a driving sprocket 05 mounted on aspindle 66. o

The front and rear stitch cam housings 36 yand 31 respectively, as seenmore clearly in Figures 2, 3 and.6, are mounted to be adjusted towardand from the inner edges of their respective needle beds to vary thelength of stitches by the extent of said movement. This result followsbecause it produces a like adjustment between said edges and the frontand rear stitch cams respectively which are mounted in said housings.The latter are biased toward the edges of their vrespective needle bedsby tension springs |04, each having one end secured near one end of one-of said housings and the other end secured to an adjacent end of theother housing.

To facilitate the adjustment just described, said housings `36 and 31are supported at their ends to slide obliquely, Figure 6, l. e. with acombined endwise and in-and-out displacement in rela- 35 tion to fixedguides, shown in the form ci guide plates |05 having angularly disposedguide sur-v faces |06. Oblique edge faces of wedges |01 extending fromthe inner edges of housings v36 and 31 slidably engage said guidesurfaces |08. It

o will be clear from the foregoing that, if a suitable force is, appliedagainst adjacent ends of said housings to displace them longitudinally,they will also move outwardly against tension of said' springs |04 whichhold said Wedges |01 against 45 the guide surfacesV |00; and that insuch more I0 ment of the stitch cams inrelatlon to their respective bedsforthe purpose above stated, each housing is provided with a, buiferplate |08, Figure 6, having outer contact faces |09 ,which lie oppositethe path of movement of exposed end `movement are conveniently arrangedto cooper- Il portions of a set of longitudinally adjustable pins vconditions being the same.

in radiallyarranged recesses in a quadrant shaped head or carrier Ifixed at the upper end of a shaft ||2.

Inner end portions of said pins are provided with micrometer threads topermit accurate endwise adjustment thereof in their respective rec'essesto vary the`extent to which the outer ends of said pins project beyondthe peripheral face of carrier To facilitate this adjustment and insureaccuracy thereof, said respective pins |||i are provided withcorrespondingly spaced or graduated markings ||0a on their peripheralsurfaces and are releasably secured by set screws IIllb in any desiredextended position. This arrangement permits a wide range of stitchlength variation to meet various pattern requirements.

In the preferred form shown, Figure 6, the

A markings 2, 3'," etc., are arranged in a spiral v sequence so thateach is clearly visible and may therefore be brought into exact registerwith ilducial markings |||lc carriedby the bevelled curved peripheralsurface of carrier Where the markings I Illa on each pin I It denne thesame increments of adjustment as the markings on each other pin,stitcholength conditions can be accurately controlled and reproducedtouobtain uniform results in different lots of goods, other Assumingthat the pms un. of each set thereof have been adjusted with their outerends extending the required distances Vbeyond the periphery escano IIII,two such sets of four each being mountedl selective auch :enginemancontro:

As lseen in Figures 8 and 9, a selector or stop carrier in the form'of aplate |23 is mounted on spindle to move up and down therewith. A midportion of said plate rests on an annular shoulder |24 of spindle IIBwhere it is secured by a nut |25. An end'portion (left Figure 9) of,A

. |30. As seen in Figure-9, an inward extension of carrier the outerends of any selected pairA of said pins aromoved into and out ofoperative relation to the several contact faces |09 by rotat.- ing shaft||2 which actuates carrier I I I. If by this angular movement, a moreextended pin en gaging one of the faces |09 is replaced by a lessextended pin, a corresponding retractive movementof one of said housings33 and 3'| is eil'ected by springs |04. If the replacement is in theopposite sense, the outer end of a more extended pin'.l

bears cam-like against one of said'faces |89 and forces and holds one ofthe housings 38 and 31 farther from the other until a subsequent changeis effected. Likewise, corresponding pins' in. each set may be adjustedto'eifect the saine extent of change in the positions of both housings.

Automatic stitch length crainteV i' For effecting a predeterminedrotation of shaft ||2 automatically. said shaft is journaled'in vabracket i i3, Figures 5,' 7, Sand 9. and has i'lxed to its lower end afork 4 having spaced arms, endportions of which, Figure 8,provide-guidejou-mais foravertically slidable' spindle l I3, Figures 'l and 8. Thelower end of said spindle B is supported to slide freely in Aan arcuatepath on' the top surface of a l shaped upright linkv I I3,A

"5 0 upwardly disposedrack |44, Figure 8.

. said rack |44 and also a downwardly disposed rack A at the left endotis'elector plate |23 provides 'a vertically arranged stop shoulder.|3| presenting a. vertical face in stepped and aligned relation to saidfaces |23: and a similar extension at the opposite end provides stopshoulder I 32 presenting a vertically arranged face in stepped andaligned relation to said faces |30. Thus, stop shoulder |3I and stoplug. faces |29 provide a series of three vertical stop faces' at theslotted end of.

plate |23; and stop shoulder |32 and stop lug faces |33 provide a seriesof three vertical stop laces at the Other end 0f said plate |23.

As seen in Figures 7, 3 and 9, actuating devices 'for imparting endwisemotion to the selector plate |23'in its several operative positions andthus to rock xfork' II4 and rotate shaft II2, include parts mounted inahousing supported on posts |33 and having spaced walls |34 and |35.Inner wall |34 is provided with-spaced'axially aligned slots |36 (dottedFigure 8) and outer wall |35 with a lower slot |31 at its right end,Figure 8, and an upper slot |33 at its left end. In a lower portion ofthe space between walls |34 and |35 is a lower slide plate |39 providedwith inwardly extending bosses |40 on which are mounted cam rollers |4|engaging the periphery of a cam |42 fixed on shaft 3. V:slide plate |33also carries on a portion of its upper edge a pusher arm |43 whichextends hori-` zontally through lower end slot |31 and into position toengage one or another of the stop faces |30, |32 on selector plate |23depending on the position of'said plate.l Another portion of the upperedge of slide plate' |39 is provided with 8.11

Apinion |43 journaled on a'shaft |48 engages m on the lower ease of anupper sims plate m.

the 'bottom end of which is pivotally'secured to a lever Ill at. iid.ASaid lever ||`|l isnxed to andj.-

selector plate.

turns with a stitch len h contro ft H3 gt ha actu above described. cam|62 revolves with rotation ated in any suitable manner, as by automaticcon-A trol devices including control'linlrs 883 and 304, v-

Figures 2 and d, connected to rock said shaft i I Q 'A Figure 8, has oneend iournaled inthe frame at |2| and the other end pivotally connectedto an lever m 'is actuated by shan ile to move link proper supportingrelation to spindle H5.A i

ruim@ increments to and from a heul` trai-or inoperative angularposition. An arm |20,

7|!v v upper endportion of link ||8 at |22. Thus, when Y IIB vertically.the latter remains upright and kin L In operation ofthe stitch lengthchange Apusherarm |43 extending horizontally from said -lower edge ofupper plate |43 has a portion projecting through said upper end slot |33in wall |33. Said arm is thus supported and guided in said upper slot|33; and its free 'end portion is positioned to engage one or anotheroi' the stopfaces |23. |3| of the stops at the left. Figure 9. on selector plate |23 depending on the position of said devices s of shaft 3to impart periodic to and iro motion sifmultaneously in'oppositedirections to said lower slide plate. |33 and said upper slide plate'|43. re

spectively, and consequently to the pusher arms |43 and |49 carriedthereby, With cam |42 in the positionshown in Figures 3 and 9. the slideplates |33 and |43 are in their extreme end positions. lie. with pusherarmison slide plate |39 spaced at the maximum distance from pusher annla@ on -slide 'plate |481; When shaft 8' is rotated to brins cam |42.A186" from theillustrated position,

arm |43 is spaced` the minimum distance from pusher arm |49.

To effect a'predetermined angular setting of In automatic operationsuitable control mechanism causes upright link ||6 to be moveddownwardly'from the normal or inoperative position shown in Figure 8 toa selected one of different predetermined operative positions byrotation of control shaft ||9. This brings a, predetermined stop face onsaid selecto-r plate |23 into the path of horizontal movement of one ofsaid pusher arms |43 and |49. Said plate is thereupon moved endwise inthe direction of movement of the en gaged pusher arm. l

As shown in Figures 6, 8 and 9, at the last preceding stitch lengthsetting,` the selector plate |23 was moved to its extreme left endposit1on, Figure 9, which brought carrier into the end position shown inFigure 6. This setting resulted when selector plate |23 was operativelypositioned at the next lower step from the normal inoperative positionshown in' Figure 8, and so that pusher arm |49, on its periodicoutwardmovement toward 'the left, engaged stop face I3|, Figure 9.Thereafter, control shaft |I9 was rotated back to its initialinoperative position, thus said last mentioned pair will be displacedand said next pair will be brought into operative po- -sition by asuitable clockwise (Figure 6) moverestoring selector plate |23 to itsinoperative level or position but leaving the carrier in posi`v ment ofcarrier III. For this purpose, the con.-

trol devices bring selector plate I23 to a position two steps below thatshown in Figure 8 and such that the end of pusher arm |43, in its nextmove to the right, will engage the lower stop face |30 to move selectorplate |23 toward the right, Figure 8. Obviously, the extent of movementof said plate tothe right dependson which of-.the stop faces |30, |32 isbrought into position to be en gaged by pusher arm I 43. To moveselector plate I 23 in the opposite direction (left) to dierentpositions-the pusher armv |49v in moving to the left will selectivelyengage -the stop faces |29, 3| by proper controlledk verticalpositioning of said selector plate.

The stitch length change mechanism above described is of relativelysimple constructionand well adapted to control the position of aplurality of stitch cams operating simultaneously as a group overl`different portions of a single needle bed or in parallel groups overopposed beds. It is Vnoted that the cam housings remain at each positionof adjustment until a different stitch length is required; and changesmay be made to take effect in a course beginning at either end of theneedle bed.

The above described mechanisms are also shown and described but notindependently claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 530,761.flied herewith and of which thepresent application is in eii'ect adivision.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine having a'needle bed.

being supported to slide in relation to said needle bed, the combinationoi spring means for biasing said housing toward one edge of said needlebed, and means for imparting combined longitudinal and transversemovement to said housing against..

the resistance of said biasing means to change the position of saidstitch 'cam in relation to said edge of the needle bed and thereby tochange the length of stitch formed by operation of said stitch cam inknitting.

2. In a knittingl machine having a needle bed, a stitch cam housing andawstitch cam mounted to slide longitudinally therein, said cam housingbeing supported to'slide in relation to said needle stitch cam ischanged by operation of said housing actuating means.

3. In a knitting machine having a'needle bed,A

a stitch cam housingand a stitch cam mounted to slide longitudinallytherein, said cam housing being supported to slide in relation to saidneedle bed, the combination of housing actuating means for impartingcombined longitudinal' and transverse movement to said housing to changethe position of said stitch cam in relation to said edge of the needlebed, including a plurality of housing positioning members movable intoand out of operative relation to said housing, and means for moving saidmembers to bring one or another thereof into said operative relation tosaid housing.

I4:. In a knitting machine having a needle bed. a slidably mountedstitch cam housing, a stitch cam carried thereby, a stop member havingan obliquely disposed guiding surface, and a spring arranged and adaptedto bias said housing toward an edge of said needle bed and against saidmounted on said head and arranged and adaptedl toeffect sliding movementof said housing from oneposition to another andto retain said housing insuch new position.

5. In a knitting machine having a yneedle, bed, a slidably mountedstitch cam housing, a stitch cam carried thereby, a stop member havingan v obliquely disposed guiding surface, land a spring arranged andadapted to bias said housing toward an edge of said needle bed andagainstsaid guiding surface, the combination of a rotatable head, meansfor rotating said head from and to diiferent angular positions inrelation to said housing,

and -a plurality of longitudinally adjustable spacing members mounted inradial relation on said head and arranged and adapted to severallyengage and variously position said housing.

- 6. In a knitting machine having a needle bed, a slidably mountedstitch cam housing, a stitch cam carried thereby, a stop member havingan obliquely` disposed guiding' surface, and a spring arranged andadapted to bias saidhousing toward an edge of said needle bed andagainst said guidingsurface. the combination of a yrotatable head. meansfor rotating said head from and to different a'ngularpositions inrelation to said housing, ya plurality of longitudinally adjustablespaca stitch cam housing and a stitch cam'mounted to slidelongitudinally therein, said cam housing l directions, and means formoving the selector o n. a carrier actuating device arranged --and 4` sins members mmmted in radial relation pa,

,head when said member is rotated on its threads, and each-markingrepresenting a predetermined .pying a predetermined position oiadjustment in stitch lengths, the combination o! a selector memberoperatively connected to rotate said head `into the path oi.' movementof one oi' said pushers whereby said selector is moved in a directionimparting periodic movement to said carrier acgaged by said carrieractuating device.

assaut 9.- Sti tch change mechanism for knit- J.iillg machines includinga rotatable head, a stop j "carrier operatively connected thereto andhaving stop portions ,arranged in stepped relation thereon, a carrieractuating arm arranged and adapted to engage said stop portions, means.tor reciprocating said arm toward and from said stop por,- tions, a.vertically adjustable link, a spindle operatively connected to said stopcarrier and arranged with an end portion bearing on a portion of saidlink, and means for moving said link vertically to bring one or anotherof said stop portions on the -carrier into position to be engaged bysaid can'ier actuating arm.

10. Stitch length change mechanism for. knitting machines including alink, means for adhead and arranged and adapted to severallygpen gageand variously position said housing. each of said, members beingthreadedin said head. and having spaced markings movable with said member towardand from an edge portion oi said stitch length setting of said memberwhen occu'- lo relation to said edge portion of the housing.

'1. In a knitting machine havingamstitch cam housing slidably adjustableto change the length o! stitches formed in operating a stitch cam car`ried thereby and a-rotatable head arranged and llil adapted to move saidhousing and. retain the same in diierent positions or adjustment fordiiierent adapted to slidably bear on a portion thereof, and movablewith said link, a stop carrier mounted on diilerent predeterminedextents in opposite disaid spindle and having at its opposite ends stoprections, said selector having opposed sets of Ystop faces arranged inAstepped relation, a reciprocatable pusher for engaging Aeach setot stopfaces, means for imparting periodic reciprocating motion to said pusherssimultaneously in opposite tions, anair of carrier actuating memberseach arranged and adapted to reciprocate toward and.

25 means forv actuating said arms to engage one or another of said stopsand thus to move said carrier.

1l. In a knitting machine. the c'ombinationof member to bring a stopface of one of said sets to rotate said head.

8. .Stitch length change mechanism for knitting machinesincluding arotatable head, a stop carrier operatively connected thereto and havingstop portions arranged in stepped relation there- 30 edge thereof andneedles mounted in said grooves and movable through said openings, astitch cam guide extending across said needle bed'and ar- -ranged andadapted for adjusting movement toward and from said edge of the needlebed, a plu- 35 rality of stitch cams slidably supported onsaid guida,vmeans for effecting adjusting movement of said stitch cam guide, meansfor varying,4 the extent or said adjusting movement, and means adaptedto engage'saidstop portions, means for tuating device toward and Ifromsaidnstop portions, and means ior moving said carrier to and fromdifferent positions in relation to said carrier actuating device tobring one. or another of said stop portions thereon into position to been- THOMAS s.

justing said link endwise. a spindle arranged and members extendingtherefrom in opposite direcfrom the stops at one end of said carrier,and

a needle bed having needle grooves opening at one for reciprocating said'titch cams in relation to

